School of Information Science - Hall of Fame

Focus: Cofounded Apple
Computer and serves as CEO. Purchased and serves as Chairman and CEO of Pixar
Animation Studios. Founded NeXT Computer, later purchased by Apple.

Country: United States

Era: 1990 to present

Steve Jobs is the CEO of Apple and Chairman and CEO Pixar
Animation
Studios. He co-founded Apple in 1976 with Steve Wozniak. The first computer
by Apple was the Apple I. It was marketed for $666 in 1976. In 1977, the
successful Apple II was introduced. In 1983, the Apple III was released and it
did not do well. The Macintosh was introduced in 1984. He left Apple in 1985
and founded NeXT Computer. It started this company with $7 million dollars of
his own money. One of NeXT Computer's machines was used by by Tim Berners-Lee
to create the first web browser and web server. Apple purchased the assets of
NeXT Computer in 1996. Jobs returned to Apple as a consultant and interim CEO
before becoming CEO. During his stint as interim CEO his annual salary was $1.
Even though the company has returned to profitability Jobs still maintains his
$1 annual salary.

Pixar was created after Steve Jobs purchased the computer graphics division
of Lucasfilm, Ltd. in 1986 for 10 million dollars and established it as an
independent company. Pixar is located in Emeryville, California and has
created such films as "Finding Nemo," "Toy Story," "Toy Story 2," "Monsters
Inc.," and "A Bug's Life." "Toy Story is responsible for being Pixar's
breakthrough film."